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Shipyards

Bath Iron Works

Bath Iron Works

Bath Iron Works Bath Iron Works on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, is one of America's premier naval shipbuilders and a major builder of guided-missile destroyers. During warship construction from the 1940s through the 1970s, tradespeople installed asbestos insulation and fireproofing throughout machinery and boiler spaces — and the welders, fitters, and laborers working alongside them breathed the same fiber.

Last verified: 2026-06-28
Medical review
Dr. Marcelo C. DaSilva Medically reviewed by , Senior Medical Reviewer Reviewed the clinical content for accuracy. Independent, compensation-disclosed medical reviewer.
Legal & editorial
Written by Paul Danziger, J.D. · Edited by Rod De Llano, J.D. · Legally reviewed by Michelle Whitman (affiliated firm)
Editorial Policy & Advisory Board
Location
Bath, ME
Industry
Naval Destroyer & Frigate Construction
Exposure Era
1940s–1970s
Primary Asbestos Products
Block & blanket pipe and boiler insulation, Asbestos cloth, rope, and tape, Gaskets and valve packing, Cable and electrical insulation, Sprayed fireproofing and refractory cement, Marine panel board (Marinite-type)
Job Categories at Risk
Insulators (laggers), Pipefitters, Boilermakers, Welders and burners, Shipfitters, Machinists, Electricians, Sheet-metal workers, Painters and riggers, General shipyard laborers

History & Asbestos Use

Founded in 1884, Bath Iron Works has been a leading U.S. naval shipbuilder for over a century. During World War II the yard built destroyers and Liberty ships at a remarkable pace, at times launching a new destroyer faster than any other U.S. yard. It continues to operate today as a subsidiary of General Dynamics, building Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Like every American warship yard of the era, BIW used asbestos as the standard insulating and fireproofing material throughout the ships it built — in piping, boilers, turbines, and electrical systems — and it remained in routine use until federal exposure limits tightened in the late 1970s.

Exposure Details

Because Bath Iron Works was primarily a new-construction yard, most exposure came from installing asbestos rather than tearing it out: insulators and laggers cut and fitted raw asbestos block, cloth, and cement to pipes, boilers, and turbines, releasing fiber as they worked. Welders and burners cutting and joining steel disturbed nearby asbestos lagging; pipefitters and machinists installed asbestos gaskets and packing; and electricians ran cable through asbestos-insulated spaces. Much of this happened in the tight, partly enclosed compartments of a destroyer under construction, where dust concentrated and drifted onto every trade in the space. Fibers also settled on work clothes and were carried home.

Workers at Risk

The following job categories at Bath Iron Works had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:

  • Insulators (laggers)
  • Pipefitters
  • Boilermakers
  • Welders and burners
  • Shipfitters
  • Machinists
  • Electricians
  • Sheet-metal workers
  • Painters and riggers
  • General shipyard laborers

Health Effects

Asbestos-related diseases have a long latency — pleural mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis typically appear 20 to 50 years after first exposure — which is why former Bath Iron Works shipbuilders are still being diagnosed decades after their working years. Family members exposed to fibers carried home on work clothes (take-home, or secondary, exposure) have also developed mesothelioma. A diagnosis is not the worker's fault: the manufacturers that supplied asbestos products to the yard knew the hazards, and many have since funded asbestos trust funds to compensate the people their materials harmed.

Health information is based on established medical research on asbestos exposure. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consult a physician for medical advice specific to your situation.

Compensation May Be Available

Workers exposed to asbestos at Bath Iron Works may be entitled to compensation through asbestos trust funds, personal injury lawsuits, or veterans benefits. Mesothelioma patients and their families have recovered billions in compensation from companies that manufactured or used asbestos products.

3 asbestos trust funds have been identified as potentially related to exposure at this site. Many mesothelioma patients qualify to file claims with multiple trusts simultaneously.

Find Out If You Qualify

Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Bath Iron Works?

Workers who were employed at Bath Iron Works between 1940s–1970s may have been exposed to asbestos-containing materials. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have legal options including trust fund claims and lawsuits.

Speak with an Attorney — Free Request a Free Case Evaluation

Related Asbestos Trust Funds

Workers exposed to asbestos at Bath Iron Works may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:

Related Exposure Sites

Shipyards

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Kittery, ME
Shipyards

Fore River Shipyard

Quincy, MA

Frequently Asked Questions

Was asbestos used at Bath Iron Works?

Yes. Asbestos-containing pipe and boiler insulation, cloth and rope, gaskets, valve packing, cable insulation, and sprayed fireproofing were standard materials in the warships built at Bath Iron Works from the 1940s through the late 1970s.

What asbestos products were used at Bath Iron Works?

The yard used block and blanket insulation on pipes, boilers, and turbines; asbestos cloth, rope, and tape for lagging; gaskets and valve packing in machinery; cable and electrical insulation; sprayed fireproofing and refractory cement; and marine panel board. Insulators handled the raw material directly, but the dust it produced exposed everyone working nearby.

What jobs had the highest asbestos exposure at Bath Iron Works?

Insulators (laggers), pipefitters, and boilermakers had the heaviest exposure, but welders and burners, shipfitters, machinists, electricians, sheet-metal workers, painters, and general laborers working in the same below-deck compartments were all exposed to the airborne fiber that installation work released.

Why were shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works exposed to so much asbestos?

BIW was a new-construction destroyer yard, so workers spent their days fitting raw asbestos insulation and fireproofing into the machinery and boiler spaces of ships under construction. Cutting and shaping that material released fiber, and the tight, partly enclosed compartments trapped the dust around every trade working there.

Could family members of Bath Iron Works workers be exposed to asbestos?

Yes. Asbestos fibers settled on workers' clothing, hair, and tools and were carried home, where spouses and children could inhale them while greeting workers or laundering work clothes. This take-home (secondary) exposure has caused mesothelioma in family members who never entered the shipyard.

How long after working at Bath Iron Works can mesothelioma appear?

Mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases usually develop 20 to 50 years after first exposure. That long latency is why workers who left Bath Iron Works decades ago — and even their family members — are still being diagnosed today.

Can Bath Iron Works workers or their families file an asbestos claim?

Often, yes. Former BIW shipbuilders diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis — and the families of workers who have died — may be eligible for compensation through asbestos trust funds and claims against the manufacturers whose products were used at the yard. Because eligibility and filing deadlines depend on the diagnosis and the state, it is worth having a mesothelioma attorney review the specific situation at no cost.

Get a Free Case Evaluation

If you or a loved one worked at Bath Iron Works and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, our attorneys can help you explore your legal options. There is no cost, no pressure, and no obligation.

Free & Confidential No upfront costs, no hidden fees. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation.
Nationwide Representation Licensed to handle mesothelioma cases in all 50 states from our Houston office.
Over 25 Years of Experience Our attorneys have recovered over $2 billion for mesothelioma patients and families.
Fast Results Trust fund claims can resolve in as few as 90 days. We move quickly for our clients.

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Sources:

  • OSHA compliance records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Maine DEP records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Court records from asbestos litigation — accessed 2026-06-28
← All Exposure Sites in Maine ← All Exposure Sites
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